Your home education questions answered

What is elective home education?

By choosing home education, you're taking on the full responsibility for your child's education. This includes the cost of things like:

• Resources
• Trips
• Tutors
• Courses
• Subscriptions
• Public examinations
• Work experience placements

It's a huge responsibility. It requires dedication and commitment from you with your energy and time. 

Useful links:

Starting Out - Education Otherwise

Elective home education: guide for parents

What is the law around elective home education? What are my rights and responsibilities?

The main act is the Education Act (1996), Section 7. It states parents have a duty to ensure their child receives a full-time education that is suitable for their age, ability and aptitude and any special educational needs they may have. See Parent's duty for more information.

It's your responsibility as a home educator to provide the local authority with information on your child's education each year. 

What is compulsory school age?

Your child must start full-time education the term after they reach compulsory school age. This is on December 31, March 31 or August 31 following their fifth birthday - whichever comes first. 

If your child's fifth birthday is on one of those dates then they reach compulsory school age on that date. 

For example, if your child reaches compulsory school age on March 31, they must start full-time education at the beginning of the next term. This would be the summer term that year. 

Children must stay in full-time education until the last Friday in June in the school year they turn 16. 

My child is a young carer - can I still home educate?

Young carers can be home educated if you can provide a full-time and suitable education for them. For more about general support for young carers see Young carers and families. 

Can I home educate a looked-after child?

Looked-after children can't be home educated without agreement from the local authority. This comes via the Virtual School headteacher as corporate parent for the child. 

Department of Education (DfE) statutory guidance makes clear the Virtual School headteacher is the educational advocate for looked-after children, just as parents are to other children. 

If I have issues with the school my child attends, can I home educate?

If your child is registered at a school, sometimes the decision to home educate isn't the best way to solve the issue or overcome the problems with attendance. 

You could try to resolve any issues first with the headteacher or the school governors. 

Alternatively, support may be available via the SEND and inclusion support line on 0333 313 7165.

What should I do if the school suggests my child is better off being home educated?

Please contact us if you feel you're under pressure to home educate and don't want to.  

The DfE is clear that schools shouldn't persuade parents to home educate as a way to avoid an exclusion due to poor attendance. Ofsted refer to this as "off rolling" and it is not acceptable. 

Can I home educate if my child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?

You have the same right to elective home education (EHE) if your child has an EHCP plan. If you choose to take on the full responsibility for your child's education, the local authority is no longer obliged to arrange the educational provision listed in the plan.

But it remains the local authority's duty to ensure your child's needs are met. So it will continue to review the EHC plan each year via the statutory Annual Review process. 

You'll also need to provide annual information to the Services to Home Educators team to show how you are meeting your child's needs. This is so we can agree their education is full time and suitable. 

While it is not essential, where possible, it is usually beneficial for all to align the EHCP and EHE reviews. 

Can I home educate if my child attends a special school?

Yes, you can home educate if your child has a special school named in the EHC plan. But the Local Authority will need to agree in order for the school to remove the child from its roll. They'll base this agreement on information you provide about how your child will access the provision listed in the plan. 

An emergency annual review of your child's EHC plan should be held in school to consider provision options. This is so all parties are fully informed about the decision to home educate. 

The EHE officer and EHCP coordinator will review the information you provide about how your child will access the provision laid out in the EHC plan. This is so they can agree to your child's removal from the school roll. 

What's the difference between elective home education (EHE) and Education other than at school (EOTAS)?

If you choose EHE, the local authority is not responsible for meeting any of the costs of education or providing any support. 

With an EOTAS package, the local authority is still responsible for arranging and paying for the provision outlined in the plan. This is usually agreed when suitable provision in a school setting cannot be found. 

Can my children attend school part time (flexi schooling)?

Part-time attendance is an agreement between a parent and the headteacher of the school the child is registered with. The child attends school part time and in the remaining time is home educated. This is also known as flexi schooling.

Your child must follow the national curriculum while at school but not while home educating. 

If you have a flexi-school arrangement, the school has your child on register. They would not be with the Services to Home Educators team.

What happens if my child attends an online school?

If your child attends an online school, this is still seen as you home educating. So we'll ask for information on where they are studying and annual reviews on their learning and progress. 

I've decided to home educate - what do I do?

If your child is attending a school you'll need to write to your child's head teacher advising them of your intention to take responsibility for your child's education and home educate. For more information see Removing your child from school to home educate.

If your child has never been to school or you're new to the area you don't have to inform the local authority. But it would be helpful for us if you did so by emailing us at ehe@norfolk.gov.uk. Read our privacy notice to find out how we use your personal information.

Do I need to wait to hear from you before I start home educating?

It's advisable to start home education as soon as possible, so don't wait to hear from us.

The home education guidelines state that home education should begin at the point of deregistration from the child's current school. We understand that there may be a period of transition to home education if you child has come off a school roll. 

Does the local authority provide funding and/or the work for my child to complete?

Please be aware the local authority does not supply any work, teaching, or materials or funding for home education. You'll be responsible for any costs involved, such as for equipment, tutors, books, stationery, public exams, etc.

Do I need to be a qualified teacher?

No, you do not need any formal qualifications to home educate and you do not need to employ a qualified teacher.

What is a suitable and full-time education?

The words 'efficient' and 'suitable' are not defined in the Education Act. But we interpret them to mean that a child is educated to equip them for life in the community to which they belong. At the same time the child should be educated so that they can make their own choices within modern society in later years.

The law states that a parent's duty is to provide a child with an efficient, full-time education. This should be suitable to his/her age, ability, aptitude and special needs.

Government guidelines on home education go on to say we may reasonably expect the education provision to include things like:

• Consistent involvement of parents or other significant carers
• Recognition of the child's needs, attitudes and aspirations 
• Opportunities for the child to be stimulated by their learning experiences 
• Access to resources or materials required to provide home education for the child. For example, paper and pens, books and libraries, arts and crafts materials, physical activity and ICT 
• The opportunity for appropriate interaction with other children and adults

You can make a full-time home education varied and flexible. You can include activities that do not usually take place at school.

You do not have to have any specific qualifications to home educate your child.

You do not have to follow school hours, days and terms. DfE guidelines suggest that a full-time education can be similar to that of a state school. This is where children of compulsory school age receive about 4.5 to 5 hours of education a day, for about 190 days a year.

You do not have to follow the National Curriculum or specifications used in mainstream schools. You also do not have to follow fixed timetables, meet age-specific standards, mark work or give formal lessons.

You do need to show how your child is progressing and achieving positive outcomes through your home education.

We recognise that there are various approaches to home education which are equally valid. We also recognise learning can take place in different environments, not just the family home.

We'll aim to respect and understand parent's philosophies and individual approaches to education, to promote mutual positive and trusting relationships. 

See our further guidance around what makes an education suitable (PDF, 155 KB).

What should my children learn?

Whether you choose to follow a curriculum or not, the local authority will expect your provision to be:

• Broad: It should introduce the child to a wide range of knowledge, understanding and skills
• Balanced: Each part should get sufficient time to make its special contribution, but not so much that it squeezes out other essential parts of learning
• Relevant: Subjects or topics should be learnt so to bring out their application to your child's own experience, to adult life and to give due emphasis to practical aspects
• Differentiated: Home education should match the child's abilities and aptitude. It should also be sufficiently challenging so your child can show that some progress is being made. 

It's important for your child to mix with other boys, girls and adults to learn from, and with them. There are many home education groups in Norfolk which home education families organise and run.

The National Curriculum covers the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, but you do not have to follow it. See more about The National Curriculum.

Unless the family has philosophic, medical or religious reasons for not doing so, a broad balanced curriculum should include:

• Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE)
• Outdoor and environmental education
• Work experience (KS4)
• Careers advice

Do I need to follow the National Curriculum at home?

The National Curriculum does not apply to children educated at home. But it does provide a useful checklist of skills and knowledge. 

For more information see The National Curriculum.

What help and support is available?

The Services to Home Educators team will be able to offer support around resources to use, examinations, SEND needs and services. 

If the information on this web page does not answer your questions, call 01603 307733 or email ehe@norfolk.gov.uk

Read our privacy notice to find out how we use your personal information.

What is the difference between de-schooling and unschooling?

Unschooling is a distinct philosophical approach to learning that allows a child to lead on their own learning journey. It draws on a child's natural curiosity to learn.  

Typically, learning is informal through life experience, with the child leading on what they would like to learn, when and how. This can feel like a more meaningful learning process and can contrast positively with the structure, curriculum and expectation of school education.    

De-schooling is a term sometimes used at the start of a child's home education. Home education may not yet be fully established, full-time or suitable.  

Though our team wouldn't expect this to be the case within the first few days, we'd expect families to be aiming for satisfactory provision from the start. Use of this term may suggest that a child is not receiving proper education and guidelines make clear there's no legal basis for this position.

What happens if my child wishes to take their GCSE or iGCSE examinations?

Home educated children will need to sit their GCSE or iGCSE exams as a private candidate and you'll need to pay for all costs associated with these.

See our Examinations and qualifications section for more information.

Some families choose to stagger exams across years 9, 10 and 11.

What are the options for Post 16 or further education?

Young people who are home educated have the same choices like the peers in a school:

• Full time education, such as a school, college or remain home educated
• An apprenticeship
• Part time education/training if they are employed, self-employed or volunteering full time. (This is defined as 20 hours or more a week)

If they choose to study at school or college it's important to know some courses have specific entry requirements, such as GCSE passes.

See helpyouchoose.org for further information.

Do I have to be inspected or monitored? What are the local authority's procedures?

The local authority has a duty to make arrangements and establish as far as possible the identities if children in its area who are not receiving a suitable education. 

Once we're aware that your child is being home educated, we'll send you a welcome pack. This will have a link to our online form, which asks you to provide details about the education you're providing for your child. You can also access the form yourself from our Submit information to the Services to Home Educators team page.

We recognise that in the early stages of home education, you may not have firm plans and that things may change as home education moves forward.

 If we offer you a visit you do not have to accept this or you may choose to meet us at another venue. If you choose not to meet with us you can communicate with us via letter, email or telephone instead. 

We'd like parents to keep in touch but cannot insist on regular contact. At least we will aim to contact you on an annual basis. 

If we identify that your child is not receiving a suitable education, we'll follow our set procedures.

For more information see Fulfilling your duties as a home educator.

What evidence do I need to provide?

We'll contact you at least once a year. We'll ask for information on your child's learning and progress and give you a link to our online form to complete.

You can also write your own report on their education or request a home or virtual visit if you prefer. If you opt for a home or virtual visit we will share with you a copy of the report.

Can my child be employed while home educating?

Working while of statutory school age can be a valuable part of a young person's learning experience in preparing them for the adult world of work.

But certain rules and regulations apply. For example, they mustn't work during school hours, the employer must hold a licence and your child must have a permit. 

Our colleagues in Child Employment can help with further information. See Children in employment and entertainment.

How do I arrange work experience?

Home educated children can take part in work experience. As a parent or carer you will need to arrange this.  

Virtual work experience is also available. See our Secondary KS4 section.

What happens if I want to stop home education? Can my child return to school?

If you decide that home education is not the best course of action, then we will be glad to talk to you about your child's entry into school.

If you make the decision for your child to return to school, you'll need to apply for a school place at your preferred school. The school admissions team will be able to provide you with advice and support on applying for school places, on the appeals procedure should admission be refused.

What can I do if I disagree with my child being home educated?

We expect parents to consult with one another and reach agreement whenever possible about their child's education provision, placing their child at the heart of discussion. 

If this cannot be achieved, we advise parents to seek their own legal advice.  Ultimately, the Court can instruct a Specific Issue Order (SIO) that instructs a parent as to what they should do in an aspect of their parenting. 

Sometimes a parent will apply for a SIO in respect of home education, such as when the parent with whom the child lives more of the time is home-educating and the other parent wants the Court to instruct them not to do so. 

More guidance on this subject is offered by Education Otherwise.